10 Classic Horror Films That Aren't Scary Any More

4. Ringu

In order for Ringu to work for a modern viewer, you have to buy into the concept of a cursed videocassette that kills everyone who watches it, which, technology aside, would be easier if vengeful ghosts weren€™t one of the biggest clichés of the 2000s. What Lies Beneath, FearDotCom, Gothika, Mirrors, Shutter, One Missed Call et al all have the same basic plot €“ a murdered girl seeks revenge from the hereafter. Filmmakers didn€™t know when to stop, hence the likes of Cello, Acacia and The Wig, where ghosts used musical instruments, trees and €“ why not? €“ haunted toupees to take their pound of flesh. It€™s hard to see why Ringu became so popular because not only are the main characters uninteresting, but the story becomes trite and predictable, like the invention of a poor man€™s Stephen King. For a modern take on the same material, just watch Unfriended.